1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates, generally, to illumination devices for people with low vision. More particularly, it relates to an illumination device that is placed a fixed distance above the object to be illuminated.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Illuminators for use by people with low vision are typically back-lit, i.e., a light source is located behind a surface upon which an image appears, so that the light shines towards the eyes of the viewer. The light source itself is typically an LED. Accordingly, the back-lighting that is provided is not uniform, there being intense spots of light intermingled with darker spots.
What is needed, then, is an illuminator that does not produce the light-and-dark patterns of light associated with back-lit illumination devices.
However, in view of the prior art taken as a whole at the time the present invention was made, it was not obvious to those of ordinary skill how such an illumination device could be constructed.